The Saucony Tempus is one of the most anticipated running shoe debuts of the year. There have been many brand new running shoes in 2022; some have been awesome; others have not. I was curious to see what the Saucony Tempus would be like. It’s new, and Saucony hasn’t ever made anything like it. In fact, really, there is nothing else similar in the running industry. Maybe the New Balance Prism…
The Saucony Tempus is marketed as a performance shoe that challenges what it means to be a “stability shoe.” It provides a new experience using PWRRUN PB foam like in their racing shoes but also has a PWRRUN midsole. This PWRRUN creates stability in the foot. Is the Saucony Tempus the first fast stability shoe? Probably not, and you could also argue the New Balance Prism v2 falls along these lines.
Common Questions for the Saucony Tempus:
- Does the Saucony Tempus have a carbon plate? No.
- Is the Saucony Tempus a stability shoe? Yes.
- Is the Saucony Tempus designed for racing? Technically no, but like the Endorphin Speed, it’s a faster shoe.
Saucony Tempus Quick Facts:
Weight: 8.9 oz
Heel to Toe Drop: 8 mm
Cost: $159.95
Saucony Tempus Introduction:
If you are someone who has been looking for a “fast” stability shoe, this is going to be an option. The dual density midsole with both PWRRUN PB and PWRRUN creates medial and lateral guidance without having a traditional posting. Weighing 8.9 oz for men and 7.8 for women, it’s also not heavy. It seems like it should have “Endorphin” in its name just due to being a speed shoe.
Saucony Tempus Fit:
Like many of Saucony’s shoes, the Tempus uses light, breathable upper with minimal overlays. It breathes well, and if it gets wet (so inclement weather or sweat), you don’t have to worry about it overheating. It also uses Saucony’s “adaptive” fit. Saucony claims you can get your perfect fit because of the adaptive lacing and the lightweight and midsole saddle.
The tongue and heel counter are padded, and the tongue is gusseted and held down by the laces. You don’t have to worry about anything cutting through your foot. I firmly believe the best running shoe uppers disappear off your feet, and the Saucony Tempus does just that. It should be noted almost every running shoe from Saucony has a lower heel counter. This means people feel as though they are going to “slip out.” You don’t; the shoe sits lower on the heel. It appears Saucony might be transitioning back into higher heel counters, and both the new Saucony Tempus and Endorphin Pro 3 are higher than usual (for Saucony). They are still lower than most brands.
The Saucony Tempus fits true to size. I typically wear a size 10-11 wide in running shoes, and a size 10.5 fits well from the Saucony Tempus. I will say the toe box does have a little more room than the recent Ride and Triumph. Not even that you say: “wow, this toe box is big,” but enough that your toes can splay more and feel happy. I think the Tempus fits better than most other recent Saucony shoes. Hoorah!
Saucony Tempus Ride:
The Saucony Tempus Ride is one of the first performance stability trainers. It’s different. It’s fun!
How does Saucony make a performance stability shoe?
- The full-length core of ultralight PWRRUN PB cushioning gives you energy return and spring.
- The contoured PWRRUN Frame starts just above the midsole to support your foot upon landing but has a curved shape to give you more energy with each stride.
- More underfoot midsole contouring allows your foot to sit deeper into the footbed and hugs your foot to support it.
As mentioned, there is no posting in the Saucony Tempus. The PWRRUN acts as the frame around the softer and faster PWRRUN PB. This creates walls along the medial and lateral sides and guides your foot to more of a neutral gait. It also helps that if one foot pronates and the other does not, you aren’t going to get over compensation with traditional stability support. The best way to think of the Tempus is that it doesn’t force your foot to do anything; it just guides your foot. Your foot cannot go “out of bounds” because there are walls to prevent you from pronating. BUT if you don’t need those walls, you won’t even notice they are there.
There is no carbon plate in the Tempus, but it can run faster, and in general, it’s just a stiffer shoe. It has the “rocker technology,” but you don’t feel like you are falling over the side of the edge. The transitions from heel to toe feel smooth and natural.
Durability and Traction: Saucony has always excelled in durability and traction, and the Tempus is no different. It runs well in inclement weather or low traction areas, and you don’t have to worry about sliding around. I’ve run several times on trails and haven’t had to worry about it. Durability is good, and I expect to get 300-400 miles out of the shoe.
I wasn’t sure where the Saucony Tempus would fall in my lineup. Would it be a speed shoe? A daily trainer? While I wear a neutral shoe a good amount of the time when my body gets tired, I prefer a stability shoe as my ankles tend to roll. I’ve found the Tempus to be an excellent daily trainer that can pick up the speed when I want to. I’ve run a few “slow” and easy days, but it feels like I’m wasting mileage because it performs well when you pick up the pace. I’ve found it fits as a trainer that I want to pick up the pace or run slightly faster. Many people who traditionally wear stability shoes will find it an excellent option for racing even though it doesn’t have a carbon plate. Like it’s marketed, the Saucony Tempus can be used for several things. There is plenty of cushion for recovery days, but it’s easy and fun to pick up the pace too.
Saucony Tempus Conclusion:
While the traditional stability shoes are still here (albeit slowly dying), there seems to be a new era of running shoes that includes lightweight and faster-guided stability. We are no longer seeing a ton of big, heavy, rigid, bulky stable shoes, which is good. The total EVA frame of the Saucony Tempus allows stability when you need it and not when you don’t. Do I think the Saucony Tempus is a good shoe? Especially if you are someone who needs a faster or even race stability shoe. I’m excited for this new category of the shoe to come out, and I can’t help but wonder if Saucony has a carbon fiber-plated stable shoe in the works. Not just that, but the Tempus performs well in several conditions, from easy runs to medium to strenuous efforts, and can even be used as a racing shoe. It’s one of the most versatile stability shoes out now.
My Current Shoe Rotation:
Easy/Daily Runs: Saucony Tempus, New Balance 1080v12, Diadora Mythos Blushield Volo, Saucony Triumph 19, Brooks Launch 9,
Speed Work: Brooks Hyperion Elite 3 Shoe Review, Altra Vanish Carbon, 361 Flame, Nike Tempo Next%, Reebok Float Ride Run fast Pro, Nike ZoomX Streakfly, Reebok Floatride Energy X
Long Runs: Saucony Freedom 4, Hoka Clifton Edge,
Trail Running/Hiking: Saucony Peregrine 12, Hoka Torrent 2, Hoka Zinal Shoe, Speedland SL: PDX,
Races: Nike ZoomX Streakfly, Asics Metaspeed Sky, Hoka One One Rocket X, adidas Adizero Pro, New Balance Fuelcell 5280, Nike Next%, Saucony Endorphin Pro 2, Reebok Run fast Pro
You Can See All Current Shoe Reviews Here.
Looking to learn more about running shoes? In my ebook, I talk about why you need a good running shoe, a shoe’s anatomy, neutral vs. stable, and even myths about running shoes.
Questions for you:
Have you tried the Saucony Tempus?
What is your favorite stability shoe?